Google LG Nexus 4 announced

Hurricane Sandy may have prompted Google to cancel its launch event in New York today, but that hasn't stopped the unveiling of Google's new flagship smartphone, the LG Nexus 4. Based on the LG Optimus G in terms of hardware, The Nexus 4 boasts a brilliant IPS+ LCD screen spannign 4.7-inches and offering 1280 x 768 pixels of resolution, with a 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm S4 Snapdragon Pro processor and 2GB of RAM. This makes it almost as fast (And sometimes faster) than the iPhone 5 offering... Which is almost 3 times more expensive. Impressive. Although we previously featured Nexus 4 leaked images on T3me.com, we were surprised by how good this device looked in the final production sample images. The device is sandwiched between front and back plates of Gorilla Glass 2 sheets, with a cool 'Disco City' effect pattern in the back that lends the device an almost holographic appearance. The build quality, the perfect weight, the chrome trims and the 'melted glass' effect combine to make for a very attractive piece of machinery that belie its asking price. google-nexus-lg.jpg LG Nexus 4: New features in Android 4.2 The main bullet point here would be Miracast support, Android's AirPlay alternative, albeit with much broader upcoming support from TV and projector manufacturers. It allows you to stream / mirror images via a direct Wi-Fi connection between the device and your TV (no router required), and is compatible with Intel's Wi-Di. The Nexus 4 is the first smartphone to run on Google's brand new Android 4.2 Jellybean OS. Not quite Key Lime Pie, but there's so many new features that you'll soon forget you're playing around with a mere incremental update to Jelly Bean. Jelly Bean 4.2 now gives you quick access to commonly used settings (wireless, brightness, airplane mode, etc.) via a notification bar icon. You can also bring down the notification drawer using two fingers to get to the same 'quick settings' panel. No more endless trips to the Settings Menu to turn on Bluetooth or WiFi. The lockscreen can now house several screens / widgets. For instance, you can swipe right to start snapping photos instantly from the camera app, or swipe left to check your calendar. We understand that this is totally customizable, too. Hurray. The camera app got some Google lovin', too. All shooting options are accessible using a quick selection ring via a long-press, and can now shoot... Wait for it... 360-degree panoramic photos. n4-pdp05-camera_verge_super_wide_0.png Another Android 4.2 feature could spell doom for apps like Switkey and Swype: You can now swype-type using the stock keyboard, which can also now predict your next word. Surprisingly, this worked even better than the third party keyboard apps mentioned, so Kudos to the Google team for that. Android 4.2 now supports multiple user accounts on phones and tablets. Great news for the lady and the kids, bad news for you if you're the kind that gets overly attached to his / her devices. On the plus side, you can now avert buying a second or a third tablet just for the casual user that happens to live with you (we're looking at you, granny). To make things even more compelling, Google made the Nexus 4 wireless-charging compatible. It will even release this neat slanted sphere that attaches your phone magnetically and charges away using inductive charging magic. Brilliant, and also very reminiscent of a certain Palm device... lg-nexus-4-wireless-orb.jpg The Nexus 4 also contains an 8 mega-pixel camera on the back, with a 1.3 mega-pixel option on the front of the device. The phone also contains a 2,100mAh battery, comes with Bluetooth 4.0 and 3G HSPA+ and Wi-Fi connectivity embedded as standard. The device is set to go on sale from November 13th, coming in at the comparatively low price of $299 for 8BG of onboard storage, and $$349 for the 16GB version. Be warned though, microSD expansion is not possible, so you might want to pay $50 extra for the additional storage space. Expect a full review on T3me.com once we get full hands-on time with the device. GALLERY PreviousPauseNext Rating: 100 Love: Top notch specs, for unbeatable price. Being Nexus branded guarantees getting timely Android updates Attractive glass design Hate: Really hard to find cons here. We can say lack of microSD slot, but that's just nit picking We Say: Google might have caused another Sandy hurricane with the Nexus 4. Just get the 16 GB version and you'll have one hell of a device for $349 TAGS: upcoming phones , upcoming devices , LG Nexus 4 , LG , Google Nexus , Google , Android